GIS Technicians for Geomatics Directorate

Result of Service The objective of this consultancy is to provide technical support for the Geographic Information Systems being use by the Geomatics Directorate, to expedite the evaluation and systematization of environmental impact files and certification processes that are on the SIAM platform. The support also includes performing spatial analysis of areas to be certified, semi-annual satellite monitoring to verify the state of forests under Environmental Services, and the identification of the forest deficit that generates demand for the ES. The professionals must carry out the following activities: - Support the preparation and evaluation of thematic maps and satellite images, which are requested by the co-executors of the project. - Work in coordination with other initiatives with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES for its acronym in Spanish), which are linked to the project's objectives. - Maintain fluid communication through the corresponding channels of the project. - Work in coordination with other initiatives carried out by MADES linked to the project's objectives. - Support in the analysis of environmental deficits that arise from non-compliance with the law evaluation of Law 294 of Impacto Ambiental Law 294, Law 6256 of Zero Deforestation, and Law 422 Forestry and other environmental regulations. - Support in the mapping of the location of project actions. - Evaluate thematic maps and satellite images in the Environmental Impact Assessment Process, SIAM/MADES. - Provide support in managing documents and geographic information of the Directorate of Environmental Services (DSA for its acronym in Spanish) of MADES. - Maintain a database of maps of proponents to be certified and maps of certified areas. Perform multitemporal analysis of certified areas within the monitoring and audit process - Evaluate maps submitted for the process of accession to the Environmental Services Regime. - Develop informative thematic maps based on the historical and current database of the Directorate of Environmental Services. - Perform Any other activity within the framework of its position that the Project Coordination requires.

Work Location Asuncion, Paraguay

Expected duration 12 months

Duties and Responsibilities The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LAC Office), located in Panama City, works closely with the 33 countries of the region and its activities are integrated into the Medium-Term Strategy and the Programme of Work approved by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

In 2017, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved its REDD+ policy worth a $500 million funding envelope, accompanied by a detailed and comprehensive process for countries to request results-based payments (RBPs). In November 2019, and with the support of UNEP as Accredited Entity (AEs), Paraguay received USD 50 million from the GCF for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between 2015 and 2017. The project Results-base Payment, now named Paraguay + Verde project, has two objectives, to support the implementation of the National Forest Strategy for Sustainable Growth (ENBCS) and the capitalization of the Climate Change Fund (FCC). The ENBCS and FCC aim to reduce the GHG emissions from land-use change and apply financial resources to support the implementation of climate change action. The project is implemented jointly with the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES for its acronym in Spanish) and the agencies of the UN-REDD Programme (UNDP, UNEP, and FAO) in Paraguay. The project foresees the strengthening of the capacities of state institutions for forest monitoring and management, including the development and implementation of early warning systems for fires and deforestation, territorial planning and the participation of indigenous peoples, the private sector and rural communities, and the promotion of sustainable forest management agricultural and livestock practices. Additionally, the project provides inputs to the National Climate Change Fund as financial instruments for financing initiatives that reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and strengthen the institutions involved.

One of the objectives is to make all relevant information regarding environmental management processes available to the public and users of MADES services, among other things, through the Environmental Information System (SIAM for its acronym in Spanish), an online portal created in 2019. Through the SIAM, information related to legal procedures and the situation of forests certified for environmental services are made available in an orderly, quality, complete, and easily accessible manner. It is designed to improve, streamline, and make transparent all services provided by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. Additionally, the SIAM generates and provides information that contributes to fulfilling the commitments assumed by the country in the International Conventions. The SIAM also enables the interface for the digitization of procedures and continuous exchange of information between the institutions involved and forest certification processes. It is a management tool for MADES, and the Geomatics Directorate collaborates to keep the data integrated into the SAIM up to date.

The Project Management Unit, UGP recognizes that the Geomatics Directorate plays an upmost role in keeping SIAM functioning and that includes the forest certification processes as well. With the intention of simplifying the certification processes, it is necessary to carry out adaptation work of the SIAM on a continuous basis to facilitate the reduction of requirements, shorten the procedures and lower the costs of forest certification under the Environmental Services regime (Law 3001/6), ES. To keep SIAM updated requires the hiring of specialized technical personnel. As part of the capacity-building component of the Geomatics Directorate, the PMU identified the need to hire four (4) consultancies to support the implementation of the component related to the Geographic Information System that is generated in the Geomatics Directorate. The workload in Geomatics is estimated to be about 300 files daily; in one month, it can reach about 3.000. The nature of the files includes requests for environmental impact evaluation, environmental auditing, reports on certified forest status, and environmental management plans. To fulfill its role and manage the heavy workload, Geomatics needs to hire four GIS experts to expedite the request from the public and the forest certification process.

The Consultants will be supervised by the UNEP Head of Climate Mitigation Unit in LAC Office Panama in and will work full-time in the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, MADES offices located in Asuncion, Paraguay. For daily work, they must coordinate with the Paraguay +Verde Project Coordinator.

Qualifications/special skills - Bachelor's degree in Geographical Sciences, Agro-environmental Engineering, Agronomy, Forestry Sciences or similar. (required) - Proven knowledge of GIS (desirable ArGis and / or Autocad and / or Electronic Spreadsheet and database management with emphasis on the environmental area).(required) - At least 2 years of experience working with environmental government organizations. (required) - At least 2 of experience of working with international cooperation projects and/or non-governmental organizations. (desirable) - Proven knowledge of the management of the Environmental Information System, SIAM. (required) - Experience to enable daily early warning reports for heat sources, land use change using spatial data and satellite imagery. (required)

Languages - The candidate should be fluent in Spanish, basic knowledge of English. (desirable)

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.